(Part 2) Reddit mentions: The best football books

I posted this in the past to the same question:

Well there's a massive picture book type thing called A Photographic History of English Football which should be recommended more often than it is. It's one of those Guinness Book of Records sized books that might have trouble fitting on a shelf but it covers every aspect of the history of the English game (and thus the history of football itself). The pictures are extremely good too, especially the ones from the 1900s.

For a more in-depth study of football across the world, Simon Kuper's Football Against the Enemy is definitely one of my favourites though it's a little outdated now. However, Kuper travels round Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas interviewing key personnel in some of the bigger Clubs in the area and tells their history. His chapter on Dynamo Kiev and their Cold War era function as a funnel between East and West is worth the price of the book alone in my opinion.

In terms of autobiographies, I have always recommended Sir Bobby Robson's Farewell but not Goodbye as he tells the story of his journey from working in a coal mine in North East England to playing for his country and eventually nurturing the talents of some of the most important people in football now on and off the pitch. Most of all his personality shines through and the man is a hero to me and many others.

If you want a more technical autobiography then Rinus Michel's Teambuilding is the go to standard. Not strictly an autobiography and more a technical book but he intersperses it with his own experiences and you really get the feeling of how the greatest coach in the history of the game came to believe the things that he did.

If you like quirky but thought provoking books then Football and Chess might pique your interest. I'm a great believer in the vast similarities between chess and football on a tactical level and the author shared the same sentiment. Not the best written book in the world but it's gets your noggin ticking over and makes you reassess your ideas on the game which is always the best thing a book can really do for you.
Also as a fan of Italian football and culture, Gianluca Vialli/Marcotti's book The Italian Job is one of my favourite football books ever and extremely thought provoking on the differences in the football cultures in England and Italy and how both can learn from each other.

On the psychological side, I've recently read Inside the Mind of a Manager which was interesting. I can't say that I agreed with all of the conclusions and think the quotes were a little cherry picked but it's a good read for people who want to know more about what the modern manager actually does for a living and the people interviewed for the book are some of the best maangers alive today.

Lastly, if you really want to look at the business side of the game and how it is changing then I would recommend Ferran Soriano's book GOAL! The Ball doesn't go in by chance. Soriano is Man City's current CEO and former Barca CEO so he's certainly been there and done it on the business front and many of his ideas ion that book are beginning to be realised now. He recently did a lecture about it which skimmed over the ideas but the book delves into it deeper and tells stories from his time at Barca.
If you want more of a narrative and less of a business lecture then former Crystal Palace Chairman Simon Jordan's book, Be Careful What You Wish For is an excellent read. Be aware that Jordan is obviously bitter about his time at Palace and tries to settle some old scores here but outside of that it's a semi interesting look at his time at the Club and the problems he faced in implementing his business strategies.

Nice list, but I think there's some other books which I strongly recommend you getting your hands on:

Blue moon: Down among the dead men by Mark Hodkinson - An absolutely excellent account of our season in division 2 from a journalist who was asked to cover City that season. Shows just how messed up the club really was at that point, and if I remember rightly it contains a few interviews from people within the club as well.

Meredith to Mercer and the FA Cup by Eric Clayton - An absolutely surreal book, all about the history of city until the book was published (late 60's I think). This was one my Dad had as a kid and then dug out the loft for me when I was young and simultaneously getting into City and reading. Discusses events that you probably won't have read anywhere else ('recent events' for this book was the 1940's/50's). If I remember rightly the back 20 pages or so are filled with all the data on our seasons and cup runs, as a little kid who for some reason loved stats that was an absolute heaven. An absolute eye-opener into the true history of city.

3 autobiographies which are absolute must owns:

Please May I Have My Football Back: My Life at Manchester City by Eric Alexander - the Alexander family had been involved with City from pretty much the point of its existence until they sold it to Peter (fucking) Swales. An absolutely stellar account of the clubs history.

Maine Man: The Tony Book Story by Tony Book - Tony Book is an absolute legend, signed for us 60's as a (relatively) old footballer and went on to win us the FA cup. Stayed on with the club after retirement and had a couple of spells of managing us (as recently as the early 90's IIRC). Hero

This Simple Game: The Footballing Life of Ken Barnes by the obvious A superb account of what growing up as a footballer in the 40s and 50s was like, as well as a great discussion on our mid 50s triumphs and squad. Ken then went on to be city's scout (I think he was the one that screwed over by the Giggs deal) whilst his son played for City. Yet another fantastic book.


edit: Just seen you have Eric Alexanders book in your list (must have missed it the first time round), but I couldn't recommend the other 4 more than enough. (Also, I'd recommend reading Andy Morrisons autobiography as it's amazing - not so much about City but the guy has had a mental life. Also avoid Colin Bells and Shaun Goaters autobiographies at all costs - they've hardly led the most exciting lives.)

I was thinking of making the same post in the near future, so I'll be keeping and eye on this thread.

I just finished one that I loved: Bragging Rights: A Season Inside the SEC, College Football's Toughest Conference. It's dated, it was written in 1999-00 but it really captures the SEC at that time period. A ton of great information. There's a chapter where they interview a young Alabama WRs coach, and I hear he's the coach at Clemson now and doing okay. The style is that each chapter follows a team, a specific game, or a star player, and then updates it with what happened after the season. Absolutely great read.

Single team homer pick: What It Means To Be a Duck by Rob Moseley, who used to be an Oregon beat writer before becoming the school's communication guy. The book consists of essays by the greatest Oregon players, in chronological order, and has some great stories. NFL Hall of Famers like Dan Fouts, Gary Zimmerman, Dave Wilcox, and great college players like Joey Harrington, Akili Smith, and Kenny Wheaton give their stories.

General: there are several great CFB encyclopedias. The last name I read was USA Today's but there are some that go back deeper into college football history and give you an understanding of the true depth of college football.

Good question. I would like to see what others say because I'm always looking to learn. I'll give you what I know:

Zonal Marking is a brilliant website with really good analysis. The guy knows his stuff. Also, the bibliography section is quite good.

Who Scored is another good website. Worth checking out for handy statistics.

101 Great Goals is good if you want to see a goal (obviously).

Total Barca is quite good if you are a Barcelona fan, but it is quite biased.

Books:
Inverting the Pyramid by Jonathan Wilson is a very good book about the history of football and how formations and styles were developed.

Fozz on Football by ex-Australian footballer and current commentator Craig Foster is a really insightful read. Many people don't like Fozz because he is strongly opinionated, but he's done a great job in this book and there's a section where he provides a bunch of questions that he asks himself during broadcasts in order to inform the viewers.

That's all I got. I hope a lot of people answer this question because the more information, the more we can enjoy the game. I hope that helps.

Kan lige supplere op med med den engelske udgave fra //soccer..

Official

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Podcasts

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Statistics:

FIFA Official So.Many.Stats.Motherload PDF
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Youtube

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Past World Cup adverts
BBC, FIFA World Cup 2018
Nike The last game, 2014
Beats by Dre The game before the game, 2014
Nike, Write the future, 2010
Adidias Jose+10, 2006
Nike Brazil airport, 1998
Other World Cup adverts thread

Further reading

Futebol - The Brazilian Way of Life by Alex Bellos
One night in Turin by Pete Davies
The Blizzard magazine, world Cup articles
The Story of the World Cup by Brian Glanville

And finally

Maradona's great World Cup goal - this is what it is about, enjoy


Tryk like på linket og giv den en upvote hvis i kan lide den.

Agree with this wholeheartedly.

I'm a huge college sports guy, and what I did to "upscale" my passion was collect and frame some nice memorabilia (signed Sports Illustrated issues, classic 1950s posters and programs for my teams) and put those up. Classy, but still makes you look like a dedicated fan. I think the posters in particular would be a great choice for your aesthetic here. I found the following example with a quick search - you can probably find more if you dig a bit deeper. Happy hunting!


http://www.amazon.com/Nebraska-State-Vintage-Football-Poster/dp/1603682473

Tim Layden's Blood, Sweat, and Chalk does a fantastic job of marrying scheme innovations with the stories behind them.

Same goes for Chris Brown's The Essential Smart Football and The Art of Smart Football. I really like his writing.

If you're into the college game, Mark Schofield's 17 Drives does a great job recounting pivotal drives from the last season. He does a great job describing the plays and you can basically imagine it playing out in your head.

I've also read Steve Belichick's Football Scouting Methods. It's pretty straightforward and dry but there's a lot of good information in there if you're looking to scout opponents. It's pretty amazing how much of the process from 60 years ago translates to today.

I highly suggest going through each link someone posted, and I'd like to add 2 things.

1. I've never heard of this book until the other day, when I think a former Rams fan was posting. But, check out this book. I've never read it, but the guy who recommended it said it's really good, with a touch of homerism.
   
   
2. Since you're a CMC fan, let me direct you to a shirt.. There was a post here after Thursday with the shirt minus the Roaring Riot logo on the bottom. But, it's still sweet. Might be worth getting since you said CMC is one of your favorite players.
   
   Also, being a former Chargers fan, I'm assuming you live around San Diego? Regardless, on the 2nd link, check the Chapters link near the top. It's basically a chapters of fans who, I assume, meet up to watch Panthers games and likely go to games when they're close (I've never been to one near me, so I'm just assuming. There's one in Los Angeles that has almost 340 people on Facebook. Most are in the Southeast, but they're spread out (and growing). Might be a way to find more fans to help you increase your fandom of the team.
   
   Edit: Just noticed there's a Chapter in Denver. If any of you guys are here, I salute you for being in enemy territory. Actually, any Chapter outside the South - Boston, LA, etc.
   
   Edit#2: Depending on when you come here's a few things: Charlotte Knights Triple-A (Chicago White Sox) baseball team that finally moved into Charlotte a few years ago. NASCAR Hall of Fame. Carowinds, not sure how suitable it would be for a 5 year old. There's a saying in NC that, "No matter where you're at, you're just a few hours from the mountains, and the beach." Boone is beautiful in the mountains, and there's the Outer Banks in the opposite direction.
   
   Edit#3: ALSO a smaller sub, and not that active (compared to other multi team subreddits) /r/CatTeamBrotherhood

I second the "watch as much as you can" approach, but here are two books that might help you with the subtleties of the game.

Get Your Own Damn Beer, I'm Watching the Game!
Yes, the subtitle is "A Woman's Guide to Loving Pro Football," but give it a shot. Very casual writing style, and it got very good reviews on Amazon.

Football for Dummies
Written by Howie Long, who probably knows more about football than he does about Chevys. Also got pretty good reviews.

>as honestly the only 3 who really "deserve" as shot based on resume are Oregon, Bama, and FSU, leaving one of them out would be a big deal, having ohio st in there is just a bonus.

Ah, so it's a "bonus" to have a team in there that doesn't "deserve" to be? Why wouldn't it be a "bonus" to have even more?

>I don't think anyone really agrees that a 16 team playoff is the way to go, and you obviously believe it is.

These guys do. Lots of people do.

>Why do we not have a 32 team playoff though? How many teams does there need to be.

There need to be ten plus however many independent teams there are. That's the only way to guarantee that every team can control their own path. But realistically, people will want at-large teams and not all independents will be successful enough to earn a spot, so 16 is a reasonable number to include every team that people WANT to see AND every team that has earned it through winning their conference.

So don't waste my time arguing 32- and 64-team formats when I'm not arguing for them. You seem to think that I want 16 just because it's more, but I have a reason for that number and I have told you what it is many, many times.

>and honestly the teams that win the championships in the G5 are very often garbage

This isn't about your opinion. This is about what's fair. They earned a shot by winning their conference. If they're not good enough, they'll lose and no harm was done. If they win, then you must have been wrong about them and it's a good thing we didn't exclude them.

There really is no major that in particular helps you become a coach. It is all about your accessibility outside of work. Grizzfan (I hope he's from Montana) said it right; find a career that suits you. I am just leaving college next week and got set up with a job helping kids that will also allow me to coach.

However, teaching is the best option to coach in High School. Don't limit yourself if that's not what you want to do. Since you're male, however, look into primary instead of secondary. Every male teacher wants to teach high school so there isn't much of market for male HS teachers.

Get your mind right. Family, Grades, Friends, Football. In that order. Live your life while you're still young and live it right. As a coach you represent not just a team but a community. If you're out messing around getting in legal trouble you're representing your community wrong.

As far as learning to coach. . observe. Volunteer in your area and just watch the other coaches. Be aware of what they're doing right, and what they're doing wrong. Be seen not heard for a while. There are plenty of books, cd's, and dvd's on Amazon for cheap.

http://www.amazon.com/2011-Coach-Clinics-Football-Manual/dp/1606791710
These manuals are pretty good to expand your general knowledge. Otherwise - email coaches in your area, shake as many hands as you can, and learn from as many people as you can. Unfortunately coaching when you get older is more about who you know than what you know.

Shoot me a personal message with your email and I will email you my DB's packet, and special teams playbook. On that note, learn as much about special teams as you can while you're young. It can be a great way to get your foot in the door.

Best of luck to you, TheKeibler.

Hi - thank you for all the great messages, I really appreciate the time and to r/Soccer for having me!

If you still would like to get in touch about all things football-agent related, feel free to message Football Agent Education on the social media links above! I'll be in London on November 30th at the Football Agent & Business Summit for those who want to work in the football industry, and Football Agent Education's new book is now on Amazon!

Thanks again - and hope everyone enjoys the new football season!

Can't confess to having read many of these, but my favourites aren't even on this list. Here are some of mine:

The Draft: A Year Inside the NFL's Search for Talent

This is a little old but still a great insight into talent evaluation by teams, and what the prospects themselves go through during the process.

Friday Night Lights

I mean, duh. I'm sure many people prefer the TV/Film versions but I love the book.

The Storm and the Tide

This one just caught my eye in a bookstore so I picked it up. A great story of the power sports can have in helping a community recover from tragedy.

I've recommended it once, but I will say it again, if you're interested in the Lone Star Showdown, UT-A&M rivalry, Backyard Brawl is a great read. It was fun reading it while coming from Austin, and going to A&M.

There's probably going to be a BiblioFriday post later on, but...

After reading the I lost my NFL team today post in the mothersub, I figured I should do some actual reading on CFB and traditions in this long offseason. I'm not a non-fiction reader at all, but I have enough interest that I can probably make it through a few of these.

Anyone of have any recommendations? I don't especially care what school the book's on (since I don't really have an FBS team to cheer for).

ETA: I did already add Running for my Life by Warrick Dunn on my wish list.

Edit 2: Running list:

• Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer
  
• The Backyard Brawl
  
• The Junction Boys

I really enjoyed Paper Lion: Confessions of a Last-String Quarterback by George Plimpton. It's rather dated now (it was written in the 60s), but Plimpton was allowed to essentially join the Lions as a backup quarterback during training camp and gives a great first-hand account of life as a professional NFL player.

I've read 3 of Bales' books and they are all awesome and super informative, especially for beginner DFSers. The first one I read was "Fantasy Football (and baseball) for Smart People" which is only $6 for the digital version.

It's a HUGE philosophy change for either him or Fox if he comes here.

Rex runs a 3-4... and is a freaking expert on the defense that requires a LB overload... he wrote a dang book on it.

http://www.amazon.com/Coaching-Footballs-Defense-Science-Series/dp/1585182346

Fox likes a straight man-to-man cover 3 with 4 rushers. Nothing too exotic.

For the record, though, or front 7 is BUILT for a 3-4.

DE's: Wolfe, Jackson, Unrein... all tweeners that are a little big for DE's but a little light for DT's. A.K.A. perfect for the 3-4

DT's: Knighton is a textbook 0 technique. At close to four bills, his whole game is plugging up the middle, and he can do it from an technique... including a 0. Sly Williams could be great in pass rushing situations.

MLB's- Trevathan, Marshall, Irving, and McCray are all similar... a little light in the britches to be that mean S.O.B in the middle. But as an ILB... they share that duty with another one of the group. Speed kills, which they all have.

OLB's- We would instantly have the most feared pass rush in the league. On one side is Von Miller... a guy that needs no help in the pass rush game, now coming from a further spot and possibly avoiding the tackle's initial punch. He would have an improvement like Dumervil did when we went to a 3-4 with McDaniels. And Ware needs no introduction to the 3-4.

this is extremely homeristic and specifically geared to Panthers fans. It was written betwee the 2015 regular season and the playoffs.

However, there are some pretty good narratives on the politics of the NFL, brief bios of all the owners, and some basic football knowledge in the book.

Even if you don't want to read anything about the Panthers, you can skip over all the Panthers homerism to get to the NFL stuff. It is free on Kindle.

.... you do know 5 guys is a blitz right? Are... are you aware of how football works? Here I'll buy it you just tell me where to send it. It's pretty clear you need it.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.amazon.com/Football-Dummies-Howie-Long/dp/1119022630&ved=2ahUKEwiJ_bnKk6TkAhWHUt8KHW48BwcQFjAbegQIChAC&usg=AOvVaw1PCMLgtjNe9JrM9TvXtwCj

I would recommend Here we go gathering cups in may its the stories of cup finals and away days from fans perspectives, it really gives the feel as to what it was like to follow Liverpool in the 70s and 80s. For recent history I would suggest An epic swindle. The inside story of Hicks and Gillette with loads of details about what was happening behind closed doors within the club.

Put your head in the sand for all I care. I'm not here to educate you, you can educate yourself.

https://www.amazon.com/Spygate-Untold-Story-Bryan-OLeary/dp/0985467002/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1485224117&sr=8-1&keywords=spygate

Christmas gift idea for Doug

https://www.amazon.com/Here-Gathering-Cups-May-Liverpool/dp/1847671675

That one is great but now it needs an update!

There's a whole book about it -- good read if you're not a Pats fan:

http://www.amazon.com/Spygate-Untold-Story-Bryan-OLeary/dp/0985467002

I like this one. http://www.amazon.com/Fantasy-Football-Baseball-Smart-People/dp/1494389266/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1411349146&sr=8-3&keywords=jonathan+bales

As a side note to my rebuttal, I would like to recommend Death to the BCS by Dan Wetzel. It deals with a lot of your concerns and arguments, plus more.

Disclaimer: Palace fan here. Lessons for us all nevertheless in this book:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Careful-What-You-Wish-For/dp/0224091824

Can someone give this book to whichever coach on Florida is responsible to teaching our players how to tackle.

Rex Ryan spent 10 years coaching at the college level, and actually wrote a book about defense in football

"Coaching Footbl 46 Defense (The Art & Science of Coaching Series)" by Rex Ryan.

http://www.amazon.com/Coaching-Footbl-Defense-Art-Science/dp/1585182346/

Chapter 9 is titled, "Defending the option." I have Tebow and Palmer, and I'm going with Palmer.

Don't forget about the George Plimpton book!

May I suggest a bit of reading for those who are genuinely interested in a possible reason for this? I am in no way affiliated with anyone who gets money from this book.

http://www.amazon.com/Spygate-Untold-Story-Bryan-OLeary/dp/0985467002

http://www.amazon.com/Spygate-Untold-Story-Bryan-OLeary/dp/0985467002

Here's something to look at. Some people love to minimize the whole SpyGate fiasco, but the evidence is out there. You just have to open your eyes.

someone posted this in another current thread. i picked it up to give it a whirl.

http://www.amazon.com/Fantasy-Football-Baseball-Smart-People/dp/1494389266/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1411387266&sr=8-1&keywords=daily+fantasy+sports

Try Coaching High School Football

There is also Football for Dummies

This will fix the problem.

https://www.amazon.com/Football-Dummies-Howie-Long/dp/1119022630/ref=pd_sbs_14_img_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=ZNM3F88KHAHZFC6PMA0T

Football For Dummies 5e (USA Ed): Howie Long, John Czarnecki: 8601422003833: Amazon.com: Books
https://www.amazon.com/Football-Dummies-Howie-Long/dp/1119022630

I dimly remember reading that one of the downfalls of the run and shoot was that in practice the team's defense never got reps against normal run formations. I think it was in Football For Dummies.

The book was written 15 years ago but The Backyard Brawl looks at why the rivalry between A&M and UT is so intense.

Another homer pick is The Junction Boys. It's the story of Bear Bryant's first year at A&M and how he took the team out to west texas for summer camp and nearly killed everyone